Appropriations Updates

Department of Defense Appropriations Bill

H.R. 5856

The Department of Defense Appropriations bill provides $519.22 billion in discretionary budget authority for the base operations of the Department and $88.48 billion for the conduct of the global war on terrorism. Additionally there is $514 million in appropriated entitlement spending for the CIA Retirement and Disability fund. The funding in the bill is slightly above FY 2012 base levels and one percent above the President’s request.

The spending level in the bill does not exceed the 302(b) allocation adopted by the Appropriations Committee, which are in aggregate within the overall spending level approved by the House in the Budget Resolution (H. Con. Res. 112).

This measure provides the overwhelming majority of the funding for the Department of Defense’s activities with the remaining funding provided in the Military Construction-VA (for military construction and family housing) appropriations bill. Key activities funded in this bill include:

Military Personnel. The military personnel accounts provide funding for compensation costs of the uniformed military, including basic, incentive, and special pays for active duty, reserve, and National Guard personnel; retired pay accrual; housing, subsistence, and other allowances; recruitment and retention initiatives; permanent change of station costs; and other ancillary benefits. The bill provides $136.4 billion for these accounts which is equal to the President’s request and four percent below the FY 12 levels.

Operations & Maintenance. The operation and maintenance accounts include funding for the daily operations of the Department of Defense. This includes funding for DOD civilians, the majority of funding for the defense health program, services for maintenance of equipment, and fuel, supplies, and spare parts for weapons and equipment. Funding for these accounts is five percent above FY 2012 levels and approximately equal to the President’s request. The bill’s levels include $589 million to pause the retirement and reassignment of National Guard and Air Force Reserve aircraft until Congress and GAO can review the cost-benefit of the proposal.

Procurement. The procurement accounts provide funding for the acquisition of vehicles, weapons, ammunition, and other equipment. These accounts provide for the recapitalization and modernization of the armed forces, as opposed to the replacement of combat losses or procurement of equipment specifically designed or needed for prosecution of the global war on terrorism. The bill provides $102.1 billion, which is two percent below 2012 levels and three percent above the President’s request. The additional funding provided above the President’s request would be used for equipment purchases and upgrades.

Research, Development, Test & Evaluation [RDT&E]. Together with the procurement accounts, these accounts are known as DOD’s “investment” budget, because they constitute the programs that eventually result in new capabilities for the Department of Defense. The bill provides $69.6 billion, two percent below FY 12 levels and slightly above the President’s request.
Intelligence Community. The bill provides $511 million for the Intelligence Community Management Account, which is six percent below 2012 levels and five percent below the President’s request. The bill also provides a classified level of funding for the National Intelligence Program and the Military Intelligence Program.

Global War on Terrorism. The budget resolution provided a separate allocation for the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The bill provides $88.48 billion, equal to the President’s request, for the incremental costs to the Department of Defense for prosecuting the Global War on Terrorism. This level is 21 percent below the FY 2012 level reflecting lower spending primarily from the drawdown in Iraq.